Issues Management: The New Municipal Skill Set

DAVE MCCLEARY & JOSEPH PICKERILL, Municipal World Magazine: It will come as no surprise to readers of this magazine that the role of local government has changed drastically in recent decades. Today’s municipal environment no longer has a single public, but rather multiple publics, comprised of issue-specific interest groups, ratepayer associations, and community groups. Each has expectations, needs, and concerns. What they share is a sense of community and a desire to be heard and involved directly in the decision-making process of council.